This invention relates to dental floss in general and more particularly to an indicator of the approaching end of a tape or ribbon of dental floss.
Dental floss tape is widely used for the removal of germs and plaque from the surface of teeth, particularly on the surface area bordering the space between adjoining teeth.
Dental floss tape is typically sold in a certain length which is wound into a roll about a reel that is generally enclosed in a dispenser. The reel is mounted within the dispenser for rotational movement, thereby allowing the unwinding of a desired amount of floss from the reel. The enclosure also typically includes an element which will cut the tape after the desired length of tape has been unwound.
A drawback of these devices is that because of the enclosure, the user has difficulty in determining whether the supply of tape remaining in the roll is about to be depleted and a new supply of dental floss tape needs to be purchased.
To overcome this drawback, the enclosure may contain a peephole which allows visual ascertainment of the circumferential thickness of the roll thereby giving an approximate indication of the remaining length of dental floss on the reel. However, this arrangement presupposes the user will continually monitor the circumferential thickness during use of the reel. Such monitoring may not occur frequently enough to prevent the inadvertent depletion of the tape. Another drawback to visual monitoring occurs if the user is sightless or cannot otherwise make the ascertainment as to the length of floss remaining.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an indication that the remaining length of dental tape within a dental floss dispenser is of such a length which necessitates the purchase of a new dispenser.
A related object is to provide an embodiment of such an indicator which can indicate to a sightless user that the remaining length of dental floss on the reel is of such a length which necessitates the purchase of a new dispenser.